Knitting machine



Jan. 1, 1929.

E. U. AM ES KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed May 31, 1924. Serial No. 717,183.

My invention relates to knitting machines and is particularly concerned with means for selectively actuating the needles to produce variations in the design of the fabric knitted by the machine. It is an object of the invention to provide means for variously selecting needles to form different patterns and to do this with certainty and precision without interfering with the operation of the machine in other respects.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a part of my machine,

Figure 2 a fragmentary elevation as seen from the right in Figure 1,

Figure 3 a diagrammatical view of a series of elements in a modified form of the pattern mechanism.

Figure et is a section of a modified form of my invention,

Figure 5, an elevation of a further modification,

Figure 6, a fragmentary plan of parts shown in Figure 5,

Figure 7, a detail of a tape of modified form, I

Figure 8, a detail illustrating means for driving the tape of Figure 7,

Figure 9, a detail of still another form of tape, and

Figure 10, a detail illustrating a method of driving the tape of Figure 9.

In the drawings reference character in- (111 ates the base or bed plate of the machine to which a needle cylinder 11 is or may be secured in any conventional or desirable manner. Near its upper end the'needle cylinder has attachedthereto a sinker ring 12 hearing a sinker cam ring 13 rotatably supported on the sinker ring. Latch needles 10 of ordinary form are slidably supported in the usual vertical grooves in the outer surface of the needle cylinder. These grooves are made somewhat deeper than usual at 14 to provide spaces for a'series of jacks 15 held in place by a coil spring 16 of ordinary type as used to hold needles in place on conventional ma chines said spring surrounding the cylinder and resting in notches in the ribs between which the needle slots are located.

The jacks, in the form here illustrated, have upright arms underlying the lower ends of the needles and each jackalso has a horizontal arm 15 extending out underneath a wheel 17. This wheel is rotatabiy mounted on a bolt 17 said bolt having threaded connection with an abutment 18 on the revolving cam ring 19 Which is driven as usual by gear teeth 20 meshing-with a driving gear (not shown). A beveled gear 21 is secured to the wheel 17 by screws 22, the'teeth of the gear meshing with teeth on'the ring 23 ex tending around the cylinder in the position indicated in Figure 1. In a preferred form of the invention this ring which is fixed to the base 10 may have notches at 24 in which the horizontal arms of the jacks are guided in their up and down movement.

The wheel is formed in the present embodiment of the invention-as a sprocket having lugs 25 projecting outwardly therefrom for engagement with holes 26 in a band 27 of steel, vulcanized fiber, or other sufiiciently resistant material. The band 27 also has notches 28 spaced irregularly according to the desired pattern in the knit fabric, these notches being intended to permit the horizontal arms of the jacks to rise when the upwardly bent fingers 29 thereof come opposite holes in the band. Between such holes the band or tape has blank or imperforate spaces for actuating the jacks. The wheel is provided with an annular groove at 30 to provide space for the'fingers 29 at the outer ends of the horizontal arms of the jacks. The wheel 17 with its gear 21 and its band 27 constitutes a sort of pattern form which in a circular machine has a planetary movement.

In the operation of my device it will be evident that needles will remain in normal position at the bottom of the needle slots so long as the jacks are in the position indicated in Figure 1. When, however, the finger 29 of a jack instead of registering with a hole in the band falls opposite a blank space the jack will be swung in a manner to throw its vertical arm outward and through its engagement with the lower end of the needle to force the lower end of the needle outward whereby the butt of the needle is thrown into the path of the cams as further explained in my copending application No. 712,182 of even date herewith. When the needle is thus projected into the path of the cams it is moved up and down to knit in ordinary manner while the yarn floats across the idle needles in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art, the operation of the needles de ending, of course, on the form of the knitting cams and the operation of the jacks and the pattern being further variable by changes in 5 the yarn-feeds.

In some instances I may use more than one of the wheels 17 as where several feeds are provided at different knitting points. In such a case the band 27 is trained under a wheel 17, then over a pulley 31, then under another wheel 17, over another pulley 31 and so on for as many wheels as may be necessary as illustrated in Figure 3.

It will be seen that in the operation ofthe 1 machine the wheels move around the cylinder, that the rotation of the cam ring in combination with the efli'ect of the fixed gear teeth 23 meshing with the teethof ear 21 causes the wheels 17 to have a planetary motion 0-whereby this moves the band 27 which rides to remain in the $0 operation of the needle the upper part of the v the slot wit same always remains in its normal position in the slot so as to prevent access of dirt to the slot. It will also be seen that the upright arm of the 'ack normally remains buried in tion. I have shown the device as ap lied to a machine having a stationary nee le cylinder and a revolving cam ring but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the needle cylinder may revolve and that some of myvdevices may even be applied to knitting machines of other types.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4 the jacks 32 are held in place by a spring 33 but instead of being bent at a-right an 1e they are straight and are substantially E their length except at the extreme lower end where they are furnished with projections in the form of fingers 34. At the rear side the jacks 32 are forwardly inclined at 35 below the rocking support which is approximately directly rearwardof the spring 33.

In this construction an abutment 36 on the cam ring is sufliciently elevated to provide space for the wheel 37 which is supported by a bolt 38. The wheel has lugs 39 engaging o enings in the belt 40 which passes about an i ler 41 and thencein any convenient manner back to the other side of the wheelusually as in Figure 3 over a larger idler pulley, then over another smaller idler 41, then about another wheel 37 and so on. In effect the wheels 37 are sprockets for driving the the needle in its normal posi-- uried in the slot throughout band 40, though in some instances they may be driven by the band.

A convenient method for driving the wheels 37 is shown in Figure 4 where a gear a 42 is secured to the wheel by means of screws 43, the teeth of the gear 42 meshing with teeth at 44 on the base of the machine or on a part secured thereto.

In this figure also I have shown in dotted lines at 45 another wheel similar to that at 37. The wheel 45 will normally be a substantial distance from'wheel 37 and the pattern band will be trained about ,both wheels in some such manner as that illustrated in Figure 3. By elongating the cam C,

so that it may extend to an appropriate distance ahead of cam B in the direction of rotation it will become possible to operate selected jacks by wheel 37 so as to carry their needles up to tuck level and to make a further selection of needles by the wheel 45 for carrying them to knitting level. This is somewhat after the manner of the two wheels described in my copending application No. 712,182 of even date herewith. It may be desirable in some instances to makes the gear teeth mesh with the needle slots in the cylinder.

I have shown in Figure 4 knitting cams A, B and C which are similar to those shown in my co-pending application. above referred to and. which operate in like manner.

In the structure illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 a wheel 46is mounted on a bolt or pin 47 in a similar manner to that illustrated in Figure 1. This Wheel is not strictly a sprocket although it has annular grooves at 49 and 50 since the wheel has no teeth engaging the band. A band 51 extends around the wheel.

The means for driving the band is found in l a plurality of sets of lugs 48 on the fixed frame of the machine engaging with either of the two series of holes 52 in the band 51. The holes are preferably circular and the pins are round to correspond therewith, but other shapes may be used if preferred.

A series of jacks 53 are mounted similarly to those in Figure 1 with their horizontal arms guided by what is in effect a comb at 55 and with upwardly projecting square fingers 56 adapted to extend through perforations 57 arranged in a plurality of series in the band the perforations here being shown as rectangular to suit the shape of ,the fingers,

though other forms may be used.

The provision of a plurality of series of perforations 52 in the band enables me to locate the guide pulleys 46 difi'erently at "difl'erent feeds, that is they may be located at diiierent distances from the axis of the machine so that the fingers 56 may engage in a series of perforations at one feed which is not the same as those engaged at another feed. For example in the device illustrated fingers 56 and' lugs 48 each en age in the appropriate ones nearest to the axis of the machine. This furnishes an additional means for variation I inthe pat-tern since the selection of jacks by one of the rows of perforations 57 may be made to differ widely from that of another of said rows with consequent variation in the needle action and in the fabric produced. I have shown two rows of perforations 57 and two perforations 52,-butit will be obvious that a greater number can be supplied to provide for additional variations and that this increase in the number of rows will be particularly desirable if more than two feeds are provided.

Not only may one row of holes work on the butts of the jacks at one wheel or pulley while another set works on them at another, but furthermore such wheels may be either at different sets of cams or at the same set. On a machine having two, three, four or more feeds having one or more wheels to a feed a different row of holes in the tape may 'act at each Wheel within practical limits of width of the tape.

Of course separate tapes may be used at each feed having one or more rows of holes if desired. One tape may be used on a feed having two wheels per feed and two rows of holes in the tape, the first row acting on the first wheel and the second row on the second wheel or one tape with two rows of holes may be used on a multiple feed 'machine having two wheels per feed, the first row of holes acting on the first wheel of each feed, and the second row of holes acting on the second wheel of each feed.

The scope of the design in a device of this character will be limited only by the length ,and width of the tape and it may be applied method of driving the band which is there shown as having teeth formed by punching out the material of the band to leave a series of holes with a projection 58 at one side of each hole. The perforations 59 are the same in purpose as those in the other figures and may have the same form but the projections 58 engage in the needle slots of the cylinder 11 and thus maintain the perforations 59 in heir proper order relative to the jacks.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate still another modification, the band being merely provided with raised teeth 60 at preferred intervals to engage in. the needle slots or if desired in gear teeth formed on the frame below the needle cylinder. A series of perforations 61 is formed at the other edge of the band as in the other modification here illustrated.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in my device without departingfrom the spirit of. the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is: V

1. In a knitting machine, a needle holder having slots, cams movable across said slots,

needles in said slots having butts normally out of reach of said cams, rocking jacks having arms underlying the needles in said slots and operating arms with projections thereon, and means movable in time with said cams for actuating said jacks to move the butts of the needles into the field of action of the cams including a tape acting on said projections said tape having perforations adapted to receive the projections on the jacks which are to remain inactive, substantially as set forth.

2. In a knitting machine, a needle holder having slots, cams movable transversely of said slots, needles in said slots normally out of reach of said cams, rocking jacks having arms underlying the needles in said slots, and means for actuating the jacks selectively to move the butts of the needles into the path of the cams comprising a wheel moving in time with the cams, means fixed with relation to the needle holder for rotating the wheel, a band around said wheel said band engaging said jacks to rock them on their pivots and having apertures where-by selected jacksmay remain stationary, substantially as set forth.

3. In a knitting machine, a needle holder having slots, cams movable transversely of said slots, needles in said slots normally out of reach of said cams, rocking jacks having arms underlying the needles in said slots, and means for actuating the jacks selectively to move the butts of the needles into the path of the'camscomprising a sprocket moving in time with the cams, means fixed with relation to the needle holder for rotating the sprocket, a band around said sprocket Said band engaging said jacks to rock them on their pivots and having apertures whereby selected jacks may remain stationary, substantially as set forth.

4. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder having slots in its outer periphery, rocking jacks having upright arms in said slots underlying the needles in said slots, a wheel having a planetary movement relative to the needle cylinder, a pattern band driven by the wheel having blank spaces acting on the jacks to move the corresponding needles into the field of action of the needle cams said band also having apertures whereby corresponding jacks are permitted to remain idle, substantially as set forth.

5. In ,a knitting machine, a needle cylinder having slots in its outer periphery, rocking jacks having upright arms in said slots underlying the needles in said slots, a sprocket having a planetary movement relative to the needle 0 linder, a pattern band driven by the sproc et having blank spaces acting on the jacks to move the corresponding needles into the field of action of the needle cams said band also having apertures whereby corresponding jacks are permitted to remain idle, substantially as set forth.

6. In a knitting machine, a needle,cylinder havingslots in its outer periphery, rocking jacks having u right arms in said slots underlying the nee les in said slots, horizontal arms on said jacks having upward projections, a sprocket mounted on a horizontal axis rotating with the needle cams relative to-the needle 0 linder, a ring gear on the machine frame aving slots for guiding the horizontal arms of the jacks and teeth engaging teeth on the sprocket for driving the same, and a pattern band driven by the sprocket having means for acting selectively on the horizontal arms of the jacks to move the needles into the field of action of the cams, substantially as set forth. 7. In a circular knitting machine having a plurality of feeds, a slotted needle cylinder, a cam ring, normally idle needles in the cylinder, jacks in the needle slots adapted to move the needles into operative relation to the needle cams, a plurality of wheels fixed in relation to the needle-cams, and a pattern band trained about said wheels in operative relation to said jacks for actuating them selectively, substantially as set forth.

8. In a circular knittin machine having a plurality of feeds, a ne le cylinder, a cam r1n normally idle needles in the cylinder,

j ac s in the needle slots adapted to move the needles into operative relation to the needle cams, a plurality of wheels fixed in relation to the needle cams, a pattern band trained about said wheels in operative relation to said vjacks for actuating them selectively, and means fixed in relation to the needle cylinder for driving said wheels, substantially as set forth.

9.;In a knitting machine, independent needles, elbow-shaped jacks each having one arm lying behind the butt-end of a needle and another arm at right angles to the first, and means acting selectively on the individual jacks in the series to flex the needles, substantially as set forth.

' 10. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder. having slots in its outer peripher rocking jacks having upright arms un erlying needles in said slots, horizontal arms on said jacks having upwardly projecting fingers, and a pattern form rotatable with the needle cams relative to the needle cylinder for acting selectively on said horizontal arms of the jacks, substantially as set forth.

11. In a knitting machine, a. series of needles, 3. series of rocking jacks individual.

to the needles, said jacks having projections, a perforated pattern band, and means for moving the band along the series of jacks whereby said projections enter the perforations in'the band and the remaining jacks are caused to rock, substantially as set forth.

12. In a knitting machine, a series of needles, a series of rocking jacks individual to the needles, said jacks having projections, a pattern band having a plurality of series of irregularly spaced perforations to receive said projections, and one or more series of uniformly-spaced structural variations movable with. the pattern band coacting with means on a relatively traveling part ofthe machine for driving the band, substantially as set forth. a

13. In a knitting machine, independent needles, jacks each having an arm lying behind the butt end of a needle and another arm approximately at right angles to the first-named arm, and a spring acting against said jacks to hold them in place substantially as set forth. 7

14. In a knitting machine, a bed plate, a needle holder having needle slots, normallyidle needles in the slots, pivoted jacks in the slots having parts back of the shanks of the needles for moving them radially, fingers on the jacks, and a perforated ribbon coacting with said fingers for selective action thereon,

- the major part of said pat-tern band extending upward above the bed plate alongside the needle holder, substantially as set forth.

15. In a knitting machine, a slotted needle holder, needles slidable in the slots of the holder, and swinging jacks each having two arms one arm lying in the slot behind the needle and the other arm projecting from the needle-holder approximately at right angles thereto whereby the butt-end of the needle may be swung outward for engagement by an operating cam, and pattern-controlled means acting selectivel on said lastnamed arms toactuate any in ividual needle in any desired course, substantially as set forth.

16. In a knitting machine, .av bed plate,

a slotted needle holder, needles slidable in the slots, acks individual to the needles each having an arm buried in a needle-slot behind the needle therein, another arm projecting out of the needle-slot, a finger projecting from the extremity of the latter arm, and a pattern band having perforations to receive said fingers the major part of said pattern band extending upward above the bed plate alongside the needle holder, substantially as set forth. A

17. In a knitting machine, a bed plate, a slotted needle holder, a series of needles in the slots of the holder, a series of jacks individual to the needles said jacks being guidingly engaged by the yva'lls of the needle the bed plate alongside the needle holder, slots and serving to move needles of the series substantially as set forth.

radially, fingers on the jacks, and a band for In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set 0 actuating the jacks said band having perfomy hand at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this rations to receive the fingers of jacks which 15th day of May, A. D. nineteen hundred are to remain inactive, the major part of and twenty-four. said pattern band extending upward above ELMER U. AMES. 

